Metal Creations: How do I make my botanical metal sculptures?
As well as making my botanical lino prints I have also been making a variety of copper and brass sculptures of mini money trees and cacti using traditional silversmithing techniques
But how do I make them?
How it all began
Several years ago I attended a few silversmithing courses at Bristol Folk House run by Kim Thomson, because I really wanted to make my own silver jewellery. During this time I learnt many skills such as making rings and bangles, how to solder, using the tools and how to finish a piece nicely with a bit of filing and polishing
After making a ton of rings the tutor suggested I should have a go at making some little sculptures based on my botanical lino prints. So armed with the silversmithing techniques I learnt I began to make a series of sculptures of Money Trees and Cacti
Making my botanical metal sculptures
All my botanical sculptures all begin life with a little sketch and I will use this as a rough guide for the shape and size of the sculpture.
I will either use copper or brass, a 0.7mm sheet for the money tree or cactus shape and sides of the base and bevel strip wire for the edges of the base, creating the hollow 3d form base and a 2d cut out top
I start out by cutting out the plant shape with a jewellers piercing saw, then using files and wet and dry sand papers I will smooth down any rough edges.
Then I start on the base, beginning with the edge. Making a ring shape from the bevel wire then soldering on two sides. Once made I then file down any rough edges again.
Then it’s time to solder on the money tree or cactus to the base and then I do a final filing of the edges, sanding down and polishing the surface.
If they are to remain the same colour as the copper or brass I will use an renaissance wax to protect it from decolourisation.
Some of my botanical metal sculptures have a green or blue colour and this is done by using my homemade patination (a way of colouring metal), and you can find out how I get my green colours by reading Metal Creations: How do I create the green colour on my botanical metal sculptures?
And to find out how I get my blue colours please read Metal Creations: How do I create the blue colours on my botanical metal sculptures?
Watch how a Brass Prickly Pear Sculpture was made
And finally …..
I hope you have enjoyed watching and finding out how I make my botanical metal sculptures.
All are available to buy now from Shop Metal Sculpture
Links
If you are interested in learning silversmithing techniques I can highly recommend Kim who teaches classes at Bristol Folk House as well as private workshops from her Jewellery Shed